


Purrfect Together

by hopespym



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Modern Bucky Barnes, Pre-Relationship, bucky is really trying, cats are a mans best friend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:20:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22084045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopespym/pseuds/hopespym
Summary: It had only started with one then, but boy was she persistent. Constantly meowing, like she knew Bucky had his music turned down low enough so that he could hear her perfectly, like she knew that he kept tabs on her to make sure that she was alright. Probably just like she knew that with her visiting, Bucky felt a lot less lonely during the daySo what if she got worse when he started giving her scratches and treats?
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Comments: 12
Kudos: 137
Collections: 2019 WinterIron_Holiday_Exchange





	Purrfect Together

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Arboreal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arboreal/gifts).



> to fulfill the prompts  
> Tony is lonely and somehow ends up fostering shelter animals without anyone else knowing. Maybe he takes in exotic animals that the shelter can't handle, or maybe he just really likes cats. This leads him to meeting either Modern!Bucky or MCU!Bucky and falling in love.  
> \+ library AU  
> \+ animals  
> \+ modern!bucky
> 
> thank you so much for the awesome prompts! i honestly feel like there was so much more of this i could have explored (and honestly might explore) so i hope you like this little taste! it's been a while since i've written tony/bucky, but writing this reminded me of how much i loved them.

Bucky wasn’t exactly sure when the ‘library’ had their first cat come along. 

He wasn’t sure of a lot of things, but he knew with absolute certainty that in his time he had seen more felines than he thought possible come in and out of the cat door that he had installed with a one track mind one Monday morning. 

And yes, he had done it when he was fed up with constantly having to open doors and windows for said cats, but really he was a saint for allowing them inside the building at all.

It had only started with one then, but boy was she persistent. Constantly meowing, like she knew Bucky had his music turned down low enough so that he could hear her perfectly, like she knew that he kept tabs on her to make sure that she was alright. Probably just like she knew that with her visiting, Bucky felt a lot less lonely during the day

So what if she got worse when he started giving her scratches and treats?

The food, water and bed that came next probably didn’t help either, but Bucky was the owner of the store and he’d have a cat for a mascot if he wished. So what if he wanted to spoil her a little?

By the time the first cat had been around for two months, another one soon joined - following in the first cats footprints closely. Bucky wasn’t sure where either of the cats had come from, didn’t question it when they left every night around the same time, a mere half hour before closing, or when they came back each and every morning, already waiting for him when he opened the door.

He wasn’t sure what all this meant, but it didn’t stop him from putting beds in all the best sun spots and getting some toys to keep them entertained. Nor did it stop him from missing their presence when they left, or wondering where they came from.

In the end, he just decided that sometimes it was best not to know.

Bucky also didn’t deny the fact that the cats had more people coming to his quaint bookstore, though the way people lounged around wherever the cats were and returned their books to the shelves when they were finished for the day had it feeling more like a library than it did a store.

Getting annoyed with people not seeming to actually  _ buy _ the books, he decided to have a new part of the store that was an actual little library as a way to solve both parts of the problem. Having separate areas seemed to work out well as the cats stayed on their side of the building, but to get there people had to walk through the books and so what if Bucky had the most interesting ones on display, people were actually buying with more frequency now.

Where the cats were there was now a big blue couch decorated with yellow pillows and some blankets thrown over for people to huddle up in on cold days, along with one designated shelf that people could read as they pleased. It was a bunch of furniture and fabrics that Bucky really didn’t put a  _ lot _ of money and time into, but it was snug and people seemed to enjoy it. The cats did as well - so that was really all that mattered to him.

Bucky also offered a minimum fee for if people had specific books that they wanted added to the ‘library’ shelves, though he was very outright in the fact that most likely it was what was on the self, as he was actually trying to run a legitimate business.

He hummed as he started fixing up shelves, looking over to see if he could find either of the two cats,and finding them being photographed with the flash by a group of four or so teenage girls - all of which were cooing and being a bit too loud for not only Bucky’s liking, but the cats too if the flicking tails were any indication to go by.

Pursing his lips, he made his way over to the group, hoping that he didn’t come off as rude, but overall not really caring.

“Hey guys, not to be rude, but you either need to pick up a book from that shelf over there and read it whilst being respectful of the cats or you need to leave, otherwise you’re gonna end up with scratch marks up and down your arms by the time you leave, and that’s not on me.”

The four girls seemed to blush and murmur apologies before each selecting a book off the shelf and settling down beside the two cats, occasionally petting them. Bucky smiled,and watched the cats calm a little before continuing fixing the shelves. 

When the girls left, they apologised again and waved goodbye to him before hurrying on their way out. Bucky merely shook his head and walked over just in time to see the older cat do a big stretch and jump off her bed, walking over to slink in between Bucky’s feet expectantly.

He leaned down to scratch behind her ear, muttering sweet nonsense to her before the smaller cat decided to come and get in on the action too. 

As he sat down and pat them for a few good minutes, like he did near the end of every day, they soon both got up and walked towards the back room where Bucky knew he wouldn’t see them until tomorrow.

Sometimes he still wondered exactly where the two of them went, but as long as they still came back then he knew they were fine.

So that was that.

Bucky’s bookshop was a home for two cats who brought people in and helped keep him in business - not too bad of a trade.

Everything was going fine, really.

And yeah, maybe there was a problem when suddenly another three cats came to find a temporary home in Bucky’s store.

But it was still fine.

Really.

No,  _ really. _

“You have more cats then customers, right now.”

“Thank you for pointing that out.”

“The cats can’t read, you do know that.”

“I know.”

A pause. “Well, I think one of them has found a use for one.”

Bucky quickly turned, letting out a small wail of dismay and rushing towards one of the newer cats, a nice pure white one that he almost thought about just taking home with him every day, “No!”

He looked down, frown plain on his face as he picked up a tattered copy of one of his favourite novels, the frown turning even more dismayed when the cat started clawing at his hands in an attempt to get to the book.

A huff sounded behind him before Natasha took the cat from him, cradling it in her arms for a moment before the cat let out a ‘merp’ and hopped away, trotting across the tables to butt its head against Bucky’s hands.

Letting out a sigh, Bucky turned towards his closest friend, “I’m going to have to get rid of the cats, aren’t I? Or at least get some help.”

“Why not get rid of the books,” when Bucky gave nothing more than a judgemental look, she raised her hands and walked to pick up her jacket off the couch she had previously been sitting on, “I’m just saying. Get a couple more cats, some drinks, and you’ll have a flourishing business in no time.”

“I  _ have _ a flourishing business… Most days.” He amended with a wince when she turned the judgemental look on him again.

Natasha stopped in front of him, cupping his jaw she smiled at him sadly, “I know.”

With a kiss to his cheek and a promise of their normal weekly coffee date in the morning, she was gone. Bucky sighed and collapsed into the chair. 

Hearing the door chime, Bucky thought that it was Natasha leaving at first before he heard footsteps walking around his shop, almost like they were uncertain.

“We’re closing soon, but feel free to come back tomorrow!”

If he was being honest with himself, he really shouldn’t be turning away customers but he really was just too tired to deal with it currently. He had a date at home with his couch, and that was only really because his bed was too far away at the current time already. 

The footsteps paused for a second, before they came in the direction of Bucky, “Hey, do you have any cats here perchance?”

“Not right now. Have about five during the day, though.”

“Cool, cool.”

When Bucky opened his eyes, his mouth went a bit dry at seeing the man who stepped out in front of him and - fuck. He really was gorgeous.

“Uh… Why are you asking?”

“Hm? Oh, they’re mine.”

Bucky flipped the ‘open’ sign to ‘closed’ with a small sigh before he walked to the back room where he had a little kitchen so that he didn’t need to go up to his apartment above the building every time he needed something. 

“Do you want a drink?”

“No, thank you. I really didn’t mean to impose.”

“A drink isn’t imposing, not much was happening here anyway.” Bucky shrugged and filled up a glass of water and downed it quickly, leaving it in the sink before he made his way back around the counter and took a seat at the table in front of the other man, who had introduced himself as Tony.

“Still. I usually don’t worry about them that much, but the kitten’s new and I was worried when I hadn’t seen her around for a couple of days. I own the place next door, and you’re the only neighbour so it was a logical choice.”

Bucky nodded and ran a hand through his hair, “They’ve been coming here for a while, I never minded too much… It helped my business a lot if I’m honest, not too many people seem to be interested in buying physical books nowadays, but they seemed content to sit and pat cats for as long as they want.”

Tony nodded and looked like he was going to say something further, but before he could his phone started ringing. His mouth twisted minutely before he got to stand, Bucky following his movement. With a couple of taps, the ringing stopped and Tony looked back at Bucky.

“Sorry about that, but I’ve got to get going. I just wanted to see that you weren’t bothered by them hanging around, you would not  _ believe _ the amount of people that hate cats. It’s insane, really.”

Bucky smiled at Tony as he opened the door for the other man, once again struck by his beauty as Tony stepped outside under the darkening sky.

“They’re never a problem here, but maybe don’t go aiming to get anymore. Five’s a good number and I don’t want to know why you have that many anyway.”

Tony merely shrugged at him and his grin brightened, “They’re all rescues, if no one else is gonna love them then the least I can do is provide them a warm home. And there will  _ definitely _ be more and you can’t stop me.”

Rolling his eyes with a grin of his own, Bucky let out a chuckle, biting his lip before saying, “Well, at least swap numbers with me? Purely so that you can keep me updated on how your rescues go.”

Even before he had finished his sentence, Tony was pulling out his phone and offering it to Bucky, and it only took them a moment to do the swap before they were grinning at each other and not saying anything.

God.

Bucky hadn’t had it this bad for anyone since he was a teenager, and even then he didn’t think he was this bad.

Tony’s phone went off again and the sound snapped the two into motion, Tony reaching for his phone and automatically taking a step back, “Right. Purely for cat’s, yes? Can do. See you round, Bucky.”

Bucky let out a full body laugh as he watched Tony escape, not bothering to call a reply back as the man was already busy with whatever was happening on his phone. 

Walking back inside the building, he let out a breath and leaned against the door, not moving until his own phone buzzed.

_ From: Tony _

_ i’m feline a reaction between you and i, and i think you’re really purrty _

Bucky let out another laugh, but couldn’t help the sudden swell of affection for the man that he’d only known for a few hours now, but already wanted to know so much more about. Without a second thought, he tapped and sent away and equally cliche message before he put his phone back in his pocket and started walking up the stairs to his own apartment, smile firm on his face.

Maybe he wouldn’t need to get rid of the cats afterall, not if they lead him to Tony.

**To: Tony**

**Meow + you = together furreva**

**Author's Note:**

> let me know what you thought below!
> 
> come screech with me about winterhawk:  
> twitter: [betsybraddocks](https://twitter.com/betsybraddocks)  
> tumblr: [thescarletwitch](https://thescarletwitch.tumblr.com/)


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